Joan Sutherland, John Alexander & Donald Grant in the finale of Norma (Live 1972)

Joan Sutherland in what I consider her very best recording of Norma sings the Final Scene of Bellini's Norma with John Alexander as Pollione and Clifford Grant as Oroveso. This is from a performance in the San Francisco Opera, October 06th 1972.
Sutherland's interpretation is at its most dramatic and committed, and her voice sounds more secure, rich and vibrant than ever. Alexander and Grant also contribute a lot for a legendary rendition of this decisive and most moving moment in the opera.

[@raigekimaru]

John Alexander is SO underrated (so is Clifford Grant, never heard of him before but he has a wonderful voice). the thing I love about Norma is it's one of the places where you really see Sutherland put forth a lot of passion and energy.

[@SymphonyBrahms]

This is the type of voice needed to sing Norma. Many sopranos have tried but have not succeeded. Joan Sutherland succeeded. A brilliant performance.

[@nathanielmerchant3286]

There's one called Maria Callas. You might have heard of her.

[@LaDivinaLover]

Extremely rare: No negative comments in the comment section. It’s practically miraculous. Even her diction is good here! This is now my favourite Sutherland Norma!

[@Homoclassicus]

This is also my favorite Sutherland Norma. She was absolutely at her best here, not just vocally, but dramatically and musically (as you say even the diction is mostly very good!), everything seems to have "clicked" in her the right way that night.

[@LaDivinaLover]

Homoclassicus I have to agree! This certainly has more of an authentic emotional sense to it than most of her more dramatic parts usually do. Though I think her phrasing and musical accents are a little odd in some places. She and Callas are the only Normas for me. I never really liked Caballe in the whole opera and I’ve not heard anyone recently that I thought did musical and technical justice to it either. There’s a question for you: do you have any favourite sopranos on the stage now? Or up and coming sopranos that you think might have a great career ahead?

[@Homoclassicus]

Sutherland and Callas are also by far my favorite Normas, with Caballé in a very worthy 3rd place. As for your second question, well, there are many sopranos,, female singers in general that I admire a lot and think are marvelous singers, I'm not one of those who complains all the time about the lost golden age, lol. (though, yes, I'm still waiting for a new Sutherland or Price, sigh) It all depends on the right repertoty for them, but in their best roles I think some of my favorites nowadays are Netrebko, Fleming, Gheorghiu, Yoncheva, Piau, Jaho, Pieczonka, Lezhneva, Pankratova, Rebeka, Oropesa, Kurzak, Devieilhe, Pirozzi... All of them have unique and very remarkable qualities. There is also a fair number of promising sopranos already with acclaimed successes and that I'm pretty sure will be big stars in the near future if everything goes right for them, mainly: Lise Davidsen, Rachel Willis-Sorensen, Elena Stikhina, Jeanine de Bique, Angel Blue, Aida Garifullina, Tamara Wilson, Ailyn Pérez, Rosa Feola, Erin Morley, Lenneke Ruiten, Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, Elona Korzhevych, Jacquelyn Wagner and a few others. ;-)

[@FeelinMinnesota]

After several times of listening to this, it has become my favourite Norma ending by ANYONE. Sutherland perfectly conveys the "melancholy" of the final scene with her voice. The vocal line is PERFECT. The low notes are great and the high notes perfect, with lots of power, always over the orchestra with no effort.

[@MrStpendouslvforjo]

She just simply has the greatest voice in the world

[@Dadacomero]

why so many dislikes? l mean ,everyone has his favourite but...how can u actually not like this?

[@Homoclassicus]

Perhaps exactly because in this 1972 performance Sutherland really proved she was a Norma for the ages. Those who idolize other singers as gods/goddessess, instead of only admiring them as they should be, may feel their "throne" in Norma's Heaven may have been outrageously threatened by this amazingly powerful interpretation. ;-)

[@Dadacomero]

exactly! and why do people even think about "thrones"?....l mean, 2 singers can both give amazing performance in the same role with their own personal interpetation, and . that's just it it's so boring when opera world has this pop music-like rivalries. let's live that to britney and gaga fans and shit like that

[@jondavwal13]

@@Homoclassicus Exactly. Callas fanatics feel the ground fall out from under them when they hear Sutherland. Kind of the way Callas felt about her. It's no mistake Callas retired every role Sutherland sang the first time she performed it live and refused to share the stage with her after 1959, the most famous of which was the 1962 "Gli Ugonotti" at La Scala. Callas pulled out at the last minute because she didn't want their voices being compared.

[@dendodd2]

Oh to have witnessed these performances! Just listen to the pathos Sutherland brings to this role and how exquisite her voice is here. Perfect control and such projection thoughout her range. A very good recording of a live performance too. What a wonderful record of such a performance. Thanks so much for posting.

[@musicloversingable]

Without equal, without peer.

[@bellini7verdi]

la maxima interprete y cantante operistica de todos los tiempos.........la indestructible.....JOAN SUTHERLAND.......PRIMA DONNA TOTALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

[@bellini7verdi]

fabulosa.............hasta extasiarte........................

[@timsuffolk]

Fantastic!

[@debbiewoodburn6786]

The incomparable Joan Sutherland. Peerless!

[@debbiewoodburn6786]

The one and only Joan Sutherland.

[@Dadacomero]

joan, oh gosh....l'm in heaven

[@raigekimaru]

@vocalissimo1 that's because she has perfect technique and selects roles that are right for her voice, so while other singers are battled fatigue, she's like "I'm good"

[@FeelinMinnesota]

Everything about this performance is incredible. The ascending trills are orgasmic. Do you have perfido! from this same presentation?

[@-Tesla-Live_]

A wonderful live recording - very clear and atmospheric. Joan does her ususal trick of really hitting her straps towards the end of the opera, when other singers are battling fatigue. The Australian bass Clifford Grant appeared at Sadlers Wells, Covent Garden and the Met, but I still feel that his true talents were never fully appreciated. John Alexander was similarly underrated, although here he does get swamped by Joan in the big moments - but then again, who doesn't?

[@jirizika6266]

If we had not Maria Callas´s Norma, this could be the good example how to perform this extremly difficult soprano role. But comparing this to Callas´s London (1952) or Scalla (1955) ones is like comparing a champagne to a cider..... Caballe is much better Norma - just listen to her Moscow 1974 performance. Joan S. can barely express any emotions with her voice which is still the same no matter what she is singing...

[@jondavwal13]

Sure fan boy.